2017 Fantasy Football Standard Mock Draft: Don’t Play Catch-Up

Using the wonderful Fantasy Pros Draft Wizard tool, I will be conducting a standard scoring, 12 team mock draft with the standard ESPN roster format and will be walking you through my picks.

When I opened up the Draft Wizard, I was given the 10th pick in the draft. This was great news for me, as I love the late first round for this year. Some of my best mocks have come with a late first-round pick.

My strategy coming into the draft was that I would grab an RB (McCoy, Howard) in the first round, either go RB or WR in the second and then make sure I have two running backs and two wide receivers after four rounds. Then in the fifth, I would grab another RB, and then I would go QB/TE, WR, and WR and then fill out rest of my roster. Surprisingly, I was able to stay almost exactly to that strategy, but you can see that for yourself right now as we get into the mock.

2017 Fantasy Football Standard Mock Draft

1.10: Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears

In the first round, I had my choice of A.J. Green, Jordy Nelson, Jay Ajayi and Jordan Howard. Devonta Freeman was there as well but I have never been a huge fan of his. Eventually, it came down to Ajayi and Howard because I felt that more receivers fall to the second than running backs.

I believe that Howard is more consistent and arguably the better player, but he is playing on a bad team. While that will most likely result in more carries, the Bears will likely be passing the ball late in games because they will be losing, and I also think that the lack of a good Bears passing game could result in the Todd Gurley effect.

Ajayi, on the other hand, relies a lot on big plays but plays on a more balanced (and flat out better) offense. In the end, I went with Howard and was hoping I could get a stud receiver in the second round.

2.15: Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins

It was difficult to pass up on another star wide receiver with both Michael Thomas and T.Y. Hilton available, but this had to be the choice. I hate this year’s RB2 class and feel like I could put together a solid group of wide receivers without getting a consensus Top-12 guy, so I went with the guy that I almost picked in the last round. I love loading up on RBs for this year so that is what I did. The only other option was Leonard Fournette for upside but I ended up sticking with Ajayi.

3.34: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

In the third round, I saw that DeAndre Hopkins still there. I love his bounce-back potential and think that he has WR1 upside with a solid floor now that Deshaun Watson is his QB, so this was a very easy choice. One mistake I like to avoid making is what I like to call “catch-up.” This occurs when you load up at one position like I did, so you try and shoot for the stars at other positions to compensate. For example, a mistake would be getting a high-risk, high-reward player with WR1 upside when you should just recognize your strengths and weaknesses and just settle for a WR2 in that spot. In this scenario, I was spoiled with getting WR1 upside but not getting too crazy by trying to play “catch-up.”

4:39: Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills

In the fourth round, Travis Kelce was tempting, but I believe that tight end is deep this year I believe that the tight end class is deep so it is a mistake to reach on one. Keenan Allen was another option, but his injury risk is too big for a player who has more floor than upside in his actual game when healthy.

I saw Watkins here for me in the fourth and jumped at the opportunity. Again, I was able to get the huge upside that I want but not an all-or-nothing player to the point where I am playing “catch-up.” Watkins has WR1 upside, a WR2 floor when healthy, but that is the issue with him. Like Allen, he has injury risks, but Watkins’ is way less serious and he has a higher upside than that of Allen’s. If he stays healthy, then I could actually end up with a really good receiving core. Just in case he doesn’t stay healthy, I want to load up on safer/value wide receivers later on.

5.58: Eddie Lacy, RB, Seattle Seahawks

I was hoping for Keenan Allen to fall to me at this pick but he was picked a few selections before me. With him gone, it was between two Seahawks: Russell Wilson and Eddie Lacy. This might have been the toughest choice of the entire draft as it made me stare blankly at my computer screen for quite some time. With 4 picks until my next selection, I ended up taking Lacy and just hoped that Wilson would fall to me in the next round.

6.63: Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Russ was still there, so I took him. I am taking him over Matt Ryan this year especially due to the fact that he plays better in the second half and I am confident that I can still get a great backup even if he doesn’t pan out.

7.82: Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Oops. I need a tight end. LUCKILY one of my favorite sleepers in Zach Ertz was still there, and I believe he has a perfect combination of floor and upside that makes him a solid TE1. Now, can Carson Wentz just throw the ball to him in the red zone? Please?

8.87: Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts

I saw Moncrief there and immediately wanted him and no one else. He is a great WR3 and can handle the WR2 spot if one of my guys doesn’t pan out.

9.106: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Similar to Moncrief, I saw Maclin and loved him. I love the situation for a bounce back after being in a terrible spot with the Chiefs for the past few years. I think he is an amazing WR4.

10.111: Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Now it was time to get a backup QB… welcome to the squad, Big Ben. I love that he can act like a streamer of sorts with Wilson for my squad. He and Wilson will be a deadly combo.

11.130: Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens

Screw it.

12.135: Julius Thomas, TE, Miami Dolphins

Considered going RB here but I needed my handcuffs later on and didn’t want to carry 6 RBs, especially when I had three solid ones that all have different bye weeks. I like Thomas’ upside now that he is back with Adam Gase.

15:178: Buffalo Bills D/ST

Huge advice: wait on your defense for the last round. I am going full streaming this year. Defenses are never safe to draft, and even the best ones barely stack up to streaming. The Bills are playing Jets Week One so give me them to finish off this draft.

Summary

Fantasy Pros gave me a 71/100 grade but I feel like I nailed this draft. I got two stud RBs, two great QBs, and a really good wide receiver core in my opinion, especially given the circumstances. The bench is also very solid and I feel that if any of my players were to go down with an injury then I have a viable fill-in for them.

If you are looking for a place to conduct a mock draft or need assistance with drafting in general, check out the Fantasy Pros Draft Wizard. This is a terrific tool that will help you dominate your league, along with So-Called Fantasy Experts, of course.

Josh is a current student at Las Lomas High School in California. This is his second year writing for the So-Called Fantasy Experts. He has been an avid fantasy player for a long time and loves writing. If you have any fantasy related questions, be sure to ask him on Twitter @SCFE_Josh.

Josh is a current student at Las Lomas High School in California. This is his second year writing for the So-Called Fantasy Experts. He has been an avid fantasy player for a long time and loves writing. If you have any fantasy related questions, be sure to ask him on Twitter @SCFE_Josh.